Computer generated aircraft displays have become highly sophisticated and are capable of displaying a substantial amount of flight management, navigation, and control information that gives flight crews more effective control of the aircraft and a reduction in workload. In this regard, electronic displays, such as Heads-Up Displays (HUDs) and Heads-Down Displays (HDDs), are used in aircraft as Primary Flight Displays to display important flight management, navigation, and control information to flight crews.
Primary Flight Displays are computer-generated displays that provide flight crews with real-time visual representations of the operational states of their aircraft during flights. For example, the Primary Flight Display can combine critical flight instrumentation (e.g., altitude, attitude, heading, airspeed, vertical speed instruments) and primary engine instrument indicators into a single, readily interpretable display. As a result, Primary Flight Displays have become effective visual tools for controlling aircraft, reducing pilot workload, increasing situational awareness, and improving overall flight safety.
Certain flight information displayed on Primary Flight Displays, particularly landing information, is useful in maintaining proper aircraft safety and control. Indeed, there are some situations in which it is desirable to focus the pilot's attention on this information. As an example, the pilot's attention should typically be directed to the landing information during a landing approach. Other information may still be important during such situations, however, particularly the altitude, airspeed, and heading. In the landing approach situation, the pilot usually quickly diverts his or her attention back and forth between the landing information and the other relevant information.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods that increase the visibility of certain flight information on a visual display, such as, for example, a Primary Flight Display, similar electronic aircraft displays, and other types of electronic displays. Particularly, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for increasing the information displayed with the landing information. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.